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ON THE MOVE CARDNO APPOINTS SARABJIT SINGH AS GOVERNMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE PRESIDENT Professional infrastructure and environmental services firm Cardno announced the appointment of Sarabjit Singh as president of the company’s Government and Infrastructure Division in its Americas region. Reporting to Cardno’s COO Todd Wager, Singh will be a key member of the company’s Americas Region Leadership Team. Singh brings more than 25 years of broad professional experience managing the growth of complex infrastructure and federal business portfolios and serving clients around the world. He earned this experience as president of a global company and long career at a major U.S. competitor including the role of group general manager for a $1.5B infrastructure and environment division. Cardno COO Todd Wager said, “We welcome Sarabjit to the Cardno team. He brings a wealth of experience to the company. We look forward to Sarabjit’s leadership working with the G&I team to continue our focus on delivering strong operating metrics, business growth objectives, superior project delivery, client satisfaction, and career development opportunities for our staff.” Singh received his B.S. in chemical engineering from the National Institute of Technology in India, followed by a master’s degree in civil

engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. He is a registered professional engineer in California. ALCOA NAMES KATE HARGROVE RAMUNDO FUTURE ARCONIC CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER: CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER AUDREY STRAUSS TO RETIRE AFTER DISTINGUISHED CAREER Alcoa has named Kate Hargrove Ramundo executive vice president, chief legal officer and corporate secretary of the future Arconic Inc. , a role which will take effect upon the company’s separation later this year. Ramundo will succeed Audrey Strauss, Alcoa executive vice president, chief legal officer, and corporate secretary, who plans to retire at the completion of Alcoa’s separation. “Audrey’s wise counsel and diligent legal representation have been invaluable to Alcoa’s successful transformation and preparation for its historic separation. She retires from this key executive role with our highest respect, admiration, and best wishes for this new chapter in a career of extraordinary achievement,” said Alcoa Chairman and CEO Klaus Kleinfeld. “As we chart a new future as Arconic, it is clear that Kate’s impressive legal acumen, extensive international experience, and successful track record in a wide range of business situations will be an ideal fit for our innovation-driven growth strategy.” After the company’s separation, the future Arconic will comprise the current Global Rolled

Products, Engineered Products and Solutions, and Transportation and Construction Solutions segments. Arconic will be an innovator of high performance multi-material products and solutions and a global leader in precision engineering and advanced manufacturing. The future Alcoa Corporation, a global, cost- competitive industry leader, will hold the current Upstream and North American packaging businesses. The separation is on track to be completed in the second half of 2016. Ramundo comes to the future Arconic most recently from ANN, Inc., based in New York, where she served as executive vice president, general counsel, and secretary. Kate earlier served as vice president, deputy general counsel, and assistant secretary of Colgate- Palmolive. Among her other positions during her 15-year tenure at Colgate, she served as general counsel of the Europe/South Pacific division, and later managed global specialty legal activities throughout the entire Colgate world, including North America, Europe, Asia, South Pacific, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. She began her career as a litigator, practicing at major New Yorklaw firms. Ramundo holds a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude, and a J.D. from Columbia University School of Law, where she was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar.

❚ ❚ Create a strategic plan including expected future revenue (the higher the backlog the better). ❚ ❚ Create a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis. ❚ ❚ Ensure your business documentation (key processes, proce- dures, contracts, records, etc.) is in place and easily accessible. ❚ ❚ Prepare management and employee succession plans. ❚ ❚ Understand what your valuation is, and assemble records on anything that can show a good business reputation and good customer relationships. When preparing to sell, think of it from a buyer’s perspective. If you were going to buy a firm, what would you like to see? What would make a good first impression on you? This will allow you to position your business for the highest value, and will make your business more successful. Today is the day to start preparing your business for sale. PHIL KEIL is a consultant with Zweig Group’s M&A services. Contact him at pkeil@zweiggroup.com. “Rushing around getting contracts negotiated before a sale may send up red flags to your customers and staff, so the ideal time to put these in place is during normal business operations.”

PHIL KEIL, from page 5

❚ ❚ Can you respond to questions about your competitive advan- tage and market fit? A potential buyer is going to spend a lot of time on due diligence and reviewing your firm’s history. It will take you even longer to position your firm for a good first impression. The earlier you get started, the better. The first thing a potential buyer will ask for is a copy of your financial statements going back at least three years. Up to date, clean, and audited financials will get you started off on the right foot. You will also want to ensure your business has contracts in place with customers, employees, and suppliers. Rushing around getting contracts negotiated before a sale may send up red flags to your customers and staff, so the ideal time to put these in place is during normal business operations. “Understand your motivations and goals for selling your business and ensure that you maximize the value you can receive for your business.” Understand your motivations and goals for selling your business and ensure that you maximize the value you can receive for your business. Some other things you can do to prepare for a sale include:

THE ZWEIG LETTER September 19, 2016, ISSUE 1168

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